Windshield cleaner



Oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,644

F. G. FOLBERTH ET AL WINDSHIELD CLEANER Original Filed May 11, 1921 llll A? /4 A7 /4 /Z 3 mum H01 Patented Oct. 30, 1923.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

FRED G. FOLBERTH AND WILLIAM M. FOLBERTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE FOLBERTH A UTO SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

WINDSHIELD CLEANER.

Original application filed May 11, 1921, Serial No. 468,486.. Divided and this application filed November 17, 1921. Serial No. 515,911.

To all whom it may concern .Be'it known that we, FRED G. FoLBnnTn and WILLIAM M. F OLBERTH, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the a county of Cuyahoga and State. of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements" in Windshield Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to windshield clean- .10 ers and is a division of our copending appli-,

cation Serial No. 468,486, filed May 11, 1921. In the saidapplication we have disclosed and claimed a motor for windshield cleaners comprising a cylinder having a pair of w spaced pistons mounted thereima web connecting the pistons, a pair of racks arranged on said web, a cleaner shaft extending transversely of the cylinder and'a pair of segmental gears carried by said shaft and meshing with said racks.

In the application there is also disclosed, but not claimed, means for .connecting the cleaner rod to the cleaner shaft to permit adjustment of the cleaner element for wind- 2 shield frames of varying thickness. As disclosed the outer end of the shaft is provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves and is further provided with transverse openings arranged outwardly of each so groove. When the windshield cleaner is be- .ing assembled, it is necessary to adjust the cleaner rod to the Windshield with a. proper degree of friction to remove moisture and the like therefrom, but to permit movement to of the cleaner element over the windshield frame. A certain amount of adjustment may be obtained by bending the cleaner rod, but where a larger adjustment is desired the cleaner rod is Aplaced in a different openingso in the shaft. fter the cleaner rod has'been placed in position the projecting end of the shaft may be broken off at one of the grooves.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown one embodiment of the invention.

- In this showing Figure .1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a windshield'and windshield frame showing the invention apphed,

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view, U

transverse 0 Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of the outer end of the cleaner shaft,*and,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the broken end of the shaft in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a windshield frame adapted to receive a windshield 2 of glass or other transparent material. The windshield cleaner consists of a cylinder or motor 3 mounted on the windshield frame in any suitable manner and provided with pistons (not shown) ada-p ed to reciprocate therein. Suitable valve mechanism, actuated by the ,movement of the pistons, is arranged to connect opposite ends of the cylinder with a chamber 4 mounted on cylinder head 5. This chamber is in communication with a source of pressure or suction by means of conduits 6 and is provided with-a control valve 7., The pistons are connected by a Web 8 having racks 9 formed thereonadapted to'mesh with segmental gears 10 carried by a sleeve 11. A cleaner shaft 12 extends transversely of the cylinder and projects through the windshield frame.- Sleeve 11 is arranged on this shaft and is maintained in position by set screw 13.

The shaft is provided with a plurality of nings 14 adjacent its outer end and is furt er provided with ircumferential grooves 15 arranged outwardly of each of said openings. A cleaner rod 16 is adapted to be arranged in one of said openings and the shaft broken off at the groove beyond the opening in which the cleaner rod is arranged. The openings 14 are intersected by a longitudinally threaded bore 17 which is adapted to receive a set screw 18, the set screw engaging the cleaner rod to prevent displacement thereof (see Figure 3). A cleaner element 19 is carried bythe cleaner rod.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the cleaner rod may be initla 1y adjusted to the windshield by arranging 1t in either one of the openings 14. This provides a rough adjustment and a finer 'adustment may beobtained by bending the cleaner rod. If the cleaner rod is inserted in any one of the openings other than the outermost opening 14 the projecting portion cent groove by grasping the end of the shaft in a pair of pliers and applying suflicient pressure to break it. This produces an 5 outer end having a finished appearance and permits the use of a standard length set screw to retain the leaner rod in position regardless of the opening in which the cleaner rod is arranged.

It is to beunderstood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape,

size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope .of' the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention,'we claim: 1

I 1. In a windshield cleaner, a niotor, a cleaner shaft operated by said motor and 'a cleaner rod adapted to be secured to .said shaft, said shaft being provided with a plurality of openings ad acent its outer end for selective reception of said cleaner rod, and a circumferential groove arranged outward- 1y of one of said openings. whereby the section of said shaft outwardly of said groove may be readily removed.

2. In a windshield cleaner, a motor, a cleaner shaft operated by said motor and a cleaner rod adapted to be secured to said shaft, said shaft being provided with a Y plurality of openings adjacent its outer end and a weakened portion arranged outwardfor selective reception of said cleaner rod,

tion of said shaft outwardly of a'selected one of said openings Inay'be readily removed. 4

3. In a windshield cleaner, a motor, a cleaner shaft operated by said motor and a cleaner rod adapted to be secured to said shaft, said shaft being provided with a plurality of openings adjacent its outer end for the reception of said cleaner rod, a. weakened frangible portion arranged outwardly of one of said openings, and a longitudinal bore for the reception of suitable securing means adapted to engage the cleaner rod.

4. In a windshield cleaner, a motor, a cleaner shaft operated by said motor, a cleaner rod adapted to be secured to said shaft, said shaft being provided with spaced weakened portions for ready severance. and means to secure said rod to said shaft inwardly of any of said weakened portions.

5. In a windshield cleaner, a motor, a cleaner shaft ope-rated by said motor, a

cleaner rod adapted, to be secured to said shaft, said shaft being provided with a weakened portion for ready severance, andmeans to secure said rod to said shaft selectivelyf inwardly or outwardly of said weakened portion.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa-' tures in presence of two witnesses.

, FRED e. FOLBERTH.

witneses'z I MAXWELL F.\FOURNEER,

HERMAN O. Lnr'm.

4 WILLIAM M. FOLBERTH. 

